Snippet Formatting

How to set a Snippet format

Snippet content has several format options:

  • Plain Text
    When expanded, the Snippet content conforms to the current text style. This is the standard Snippet format, it works best for autocorrection and any other Snippets where you want them to fit in with the format of the surrounding text.
  • Formatted Text, Pictures
    Color, size, font, and alignment can be specified for text and maintained upon expansion. Good for email signatures and graphics, this format can also include hyperlinks. You can set your formatted text to “Match” and it will adapt to the font styles you expand the Snippet next to.
  • AppleScript (advanced)
    The Snippet content can be an AppleScript, which is triggered by the abbreviation.
  • Shell Script (advanced)
    The Snippet content can be a shell script, which is triggered by the abbreviation.
  • JavaScript (advanced)
    The Snippet content can be a JavaScript or JavaScript for Automation (JSA), which is triggered by the abbreviation.

To set a Snippet’s content format, select the Content Type drop-down menu above the Snippet Editor.

How to Use Formatted Text in Snippets

  1. Set the “Content Type” menu format to Formatted Text, Pictures.
  2. Add snippet content in the snippet editor.
  3. Select some text to be formatted and use the editing bar font options for fonts, size, color, and alignment.

Note: Not all fonts have all typeface options. For example, if you want italics you will need to find a font that offers italics as an option.

Plain Text vs Rich Text

Remember that this is rich text, so you can expand the Snippet in rich text emails, Word, Pages, and other word processors with all the formatting intact. If you expand this Snippet in a plain text field, all the formatting will be stripped away. So, if you expand your Snippet but can’t see your link, check the settings of the app you expand in to make sure the field is rich text.

  1. On a Mac this is typically in the Format > Make Plain/Rich Text menu.
  2. On Windows, for example, WordPad defaults to rich text, and Notepad defaults to plain text.

Matching Your Fonts

Since you have set your Snippet to keep the formatting for links, images, bolds, and all, it will also keep your Snippet’s font. If you’ve set your Snippet to Helvetica 12pt, and you expand it in your Times 10pt email, you will see the difference.

To solve this disparity, we suggest setting your default font the same across the board. This means taking a bit of time upfront that will save you time later on correcting mismatched text. Set the default font in TextExpander settings, set the font for new emails in Mail, Gmail, or Entourage, and set default document fonts in Word, Pages, and wherever else you type.